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Nonprofiteer
← TOR PROJECT INC

Form 990 for tax year 2024

Filed by TOR PROJECT INC.

Totals

Total revenue
$12,279,993
Total expenses
$8,967,599
Contributions and grants received
$12,226,787
Grants paid
$0
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$53,206
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$10,509,673
Total liabilities, end of year
$466,705
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$10,042,968
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$7,245,898
Management and general expenses
$1,219,291
Fundraising expenses
$502,410
Program service expenses (Part III)
$7,245,898

Program services were 80.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $1,932,985

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $10,293,802

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $629,695

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $53,206 · excluded $53,206

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,021,489 · program services $593,980 · management and general $365,687 · fundraising $61,822

  • 6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

    total $130,312 · program services $103,652 · management and general $21,481 · fundraising $5,179

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $3,221,316 · program services $2,765,667 · management and general $348,518 · fundraising $107,131

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $57,406 · program services $45,661 · management and general $9,463 · fundraising $2,282

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $212,399 · program services $184,076 · management and general $20,197 · fundraising $8,126

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $400,684 · program services $318,709 · management and general $66,049 · fundraising $15,926

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $20,353 · program services $10,416 · management and general $6,288 · fundraising $3,649

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $85,575 · program services $43,793 · management and general $26,437 · fundraising $15,345

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $3,381,233 · program services $2,967,389 · management and general $229,529 · fundraising $184,315

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $80,278 · program services $5,850 · management and general $31,338 · fundraising $43,090

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $88,888 · program services $38,941 · management and general $49,947

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $4,390 · management and general $4,390

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $161,100 · program services $140,331 · fundraising $20,769

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $14,651 · management and general $14,651

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $25,316 · management and general $25,316

  • 24a · Other expenses: FUNDRAISING SUPPLIES

    total $34,776 · fundraising $34,776

  • 24b · Other expenses: PROGRAM SUPPLIES

    total $27,433 · program services $27,433

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $3,030,800 · end of year $2,748,774

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $2,649,200 · end of year $6,650,205

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $1,098,498 · end of year $798,557

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $23,427 · end of year $264,794

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $306,884

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $259,541

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $49,043 · end of year $47,343

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    beginning of year $104,412

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $281,300 · end of year $464,663

  • 19 · Deferred revenue

    end of year $2,042

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $5,758,290 · end of year $9,379,702

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $915,790 · end of year $663,266

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE TOR NETWORK, WHICH IS A GROUP OF VOLUNTEER-OPERATED SERVERS THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO IMPROVE THEIR PRIVACY AND SECURITY ON THE INTERNET. THE ORGANIZATION'S USERS EMPLOY THE TOR NETWORK BY CONNECTING THROUGH A SERIES OF VIRTUAL TUNNELS RATHER THAN MAKING A DIRECT CONNECTION, THUS ALLOWING BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO SHARE INFORMATION OVER PUBLIC NETWORKS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THEIR PRIVACY. ALONG THE SAME LINE, THE TOR NETWORK IS AN EFFECTIVE CENSORSHIP CIRCUMVENTION TOOL, ALLOWING ITS USERS TO REACH OTHERWISE BLOCKED DESTINATIONS OR CONTENT. THE TOR NETWORK CAN ALSO BE USED AS A BUILDING BLOCK FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS TO CREATE NEW COMMUNICATION TOOLS WITH BUILT-IN PRIVACY FEATURES.

Activities or mission (Part I)

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY INTO ONLINE ANONYMITY AND PRIVACY.

  • 1) TO DEVELOP, IMPROVE AND DISTRIBUTE FREE, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TOOLS AND PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE FREE SPEECH, FREE EXPRESSION, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND PRIVACY RIGHTS ONLINE 2) TO CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH REGARDING, AND TO PROMOTE THE USE OF AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT, SUCH TOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND RELATED ISSUES INTERNATIONALLY 3) TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC INTERNATIONALLY ABOUT PRIVACY RIGHTS AND ANONYMITY ISSUES CONNECTED TO INTERNET USE, AND 4) TO CARRY OUT AND CONDUCT SUCH OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS IN FURTHERANCE OF THE FOREGOING PURPOSES AS MAY BE CARRIED OUT AND CONDUCTED BY A CORPORATION TO ENABLE AND, WITH THE USE OF FREE SOFTWARE, EDUCATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT INTERNET PRIVACY AND ANONYMITY 5) THE TOR PROJECT IS AN OPEN SOURCE PROJECT AND BENEFITS FROM THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY VOLUNTEERS. DURING THE PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 2025, VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED A VALUE OF $643,794 TO OUR WORK, AS FOLLOWS: 5,142 HOURS OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (VALUED AT $411,360) AND TRANSLATION SERVICES OF 518,134 WORDS (VALUED AT $124,352); CLOUD HOSTING SERVICES USING 12 SERVERS (VALUED AT $108,082); AND DIGICERT DONATIONS OF 26 CERTIFICATES (VALUED AT $4,344).

    Expenses $7,245,898

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

  • Alissa Cooper

    CLERK (UNTIL 9/25) DIRECTOR (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Christian Kaufmann

    VICE-CHAIR (UNTIL 9/25) CHAIR (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Desigan Chinniah

    DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/25) VICE CHAIR (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Esra'A Al Shafei

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Julius Mittenzwei

    TREASURER (UNTIL 9/25) DIRECTOR (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Kendra Albert

    CHAIR (UNTIL 9/25) SECRETARY (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Maria Xynou

    DIRECTOR (AS OF 11/24)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Sarah Gran

    DIRECTOR (UNTIL 9/25) TREASURER (AS OF 9/25)

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • Isabela Dias Fernandes

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $204,104
    From this org
    $188,985
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,119
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $188,985
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,119
    Filer's total
    $204,104

  • Susan Abt

    CFO

    Total calculated
    $192,665
    From this org
    $173,236
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,429
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $173,236
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,929
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,500
    Filer's total
    $192,665

  • Micah Anderson

    SENIOR DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING

    Total calculated
    $204,910
    From this org
    $185,400
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,510
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $185,400
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $7,402
    Nontaxable benefits
    $12,108
    Filer's total
    $204,910

  • Nick Mathewson

    FOUNDER & NETWORK TEAM SR DEVELOPER

    Total calculated
    $206,444
    From this org
    $172,892
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $33,552
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $172,892
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,887
    Nontaxable benefits
    $26,665
    Filer's total
    $206,444

  • Roger Dingledine

    CO FOUNDER & AMBASSADOR

    Total calculated
    $191,722
    From this org
    $172,892
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,830
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $172,892
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $6,883
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,947
    Filer's total
    $191,722

  • Mike Perry

    PROJECT MANAGER

    Total calculated
    $162,074
    From this org
    $144,703
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $17,371
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $144,703
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $5,788
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,583
    Filer's total
    $162,074

  • Cala Abt

    STAFF ACOUNTANT

    Total calculated
    $130,694
    From this org
    $121,134
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,560
    Hours/week
    40

  • Al Smith

    DIRECTOR OF FUNDRAISING

    Total calculated
    $130,274
    From this org
    $114,385
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $15,889
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

PART I, LINE 3
THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S SALARY IS DETERMINED BY UTILIZING COMPENSATION DATA FOR SIMILARLY QUALIFIED PERSONS IN COMPARABLE POSITIONS AT SIMILARLY SITUATED ORGANIZATIONS. THE SALARY RECOMMENDATION IS REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, WITH NO MEMBERS WHO HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST BEING INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. SUBSTANTIATION OF THE DELIBERATION AND DECISION ARE RECORDED AT THAT TIME.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2024
Filed
14 May 2026
IRS schema version
2024v5.5
Source object
202611359349300241

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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